Wednesday, August 14, 2013

It's hard to believe that it's already been a whole week since my first day at the ARC. It's encouraging to be greeted by so many people who share your compassion and excitement for humanity.

Today I'm going to show you my office! (Can I get a Woot! Woot!)

Check out my super snazzy desk! It's used and older, but perfect for what I need! Can I be honest and say that I am actually psyched to see that there wasn't a ton of expense here? Somehow knowing that we don't have exquisite office furniture makes me feel better. I guess it just goes to show that the Red Cross uses its' resources wisely :) Why have a new fancy desk when an old beater will do?

Hello Mr. Awesome welcome sign! Your purty sticky hand was just what I needed to feel at home hehe. And did anyone else notice my 3 exclamation points? That means they REALLY ARE excited to have me on board! Or at least that's what I'm going to tell myself. I wonder why my sticky hand is leaving a trail on my welcome sign tho? Add that to the list of things to ponder on a rainy day.

This beauty was something I picked up at the Thrift Store just last week. I found it very fitting as my first desk decoration, and am quite pleased that I only had to spend $2 for such a great piece.

(Note: The opinions stated above are strictly from my own observations and are not intended to be the opinion of the Red Cross...however, I will say that it would be awesome if I was right ;)

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Today is the day. The day I get to start making a difference. For the next 365 days, I have been charged with a very real task... being a member of the American Red Cross via Americorps. It will be my duty to teach, recruit and be a part of an organization who's purpose depends on the individual, but is so much greater than any single person could be.

My first impression...
Let me tell you about my interview. Wow. I don't think I've ever been so nervous for anything in my life! For those of you who know me, you know that I tend to be calm and prepared for high-stress situations like an interview...but this one was different. It mattered.

I remember walking in the door of the ARC and being met by a lovely lady named Annah. She greeted me with a smile and a handshake and led me into 'the interview room'. From there I was introduced to Luke and Angie, who were to be assisting Annah in interviewing me. (3 Interviewers?! Yikes!). It started out with the normal interview questions, but quickly made a transition into my favorite part of the interview. 'Why'... I was given the opportunity to explain why being a part of this was so important to me. And I could see that, as I was speaking, these people really wanted to know my answer. I was no longer just some woman interviewing for a job...I was Kara and I was telling these three strangers stories from my life. The things that I believe make up 'me'. The crazy thing is that they were listening! Not that polite, because-we-have-to kind of listening, but the I-really-want-to-know kind. It struck me at that moment that I was not the only one in that room who wanted to 'be more' for people. What I so desperately wanted was reflected in the eyes of my interviewers.

When I walked out of the ARC that day, I knew one thing for certain...I wanted to be a part of the American Red Cross. And one way or another, it was going to happen.

Luckily for me, I got a call not long after. I had Angie, Annah and Luke all on the phone asking me(!) to be a part of the ARC. I won't lie, I cried, lol. At one point, I heard Annah say 'so is that a Yes?'. And so it came to be that I, Kara P, am a member of Americorp and the American Red Cross.

Day 1...
Finally, we have made it to day 1! What a fabulous day! I can just hear you now 'Who is this crazy person, excited about orientation?'. *Points at self* oh yeah, that's this lady (lol). And I wasn't the only one...

Seriously, it was great. We learned so much about the founding of the Red Cross, and what changes have brought us to where we are today. We learned about the overwhelming need for disaster relief and blood. We learned about each other and we even got to watch powerpoint presentations (eeek can't you just hear my squeals of joy?!)

All I can say is that I can't wait to see what this next year has in store for us. Today is a new day with a new purpose, and I am overwhelmed by the possibilities.